The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Vehicles may be equipped with various remote sensing devices and systems that assist a vehicle operator in managing vehicle operation and navigation. Known systems for ground vehicles can include autonomic control systems to control vehicle operation. For example, vehicles employ cruise control systems to maintain a travel speed of the vehicle at an operator-selected speed. Further, vehicles employ adaptive cruise control systems to control speed based on both the operator-selected speed and the presence of and distance to another vehicle in a projected travel path. Exemplary vehicle detection systems used by adaptive cruise control systems include radar detection devices and LIDAR detection devices to detect the position and speed of other vehicles within the projected travel path of the subject vehicle.
Known remote sensing systems employed on-vehicle have different operating ranges and angular coverages, and are capable of estimating different parameters within their operating range. For example, known radar sensors are capable of estimating range, range rate and azimuth location of a remote object. Known cameras with vision processors are effective in estimating a shape and azimuth position of a remote object, but are less effective at estimating the range and range rate of the remote object. Known scanning type LIDARs are effective at estimating range, and azimuth position, but are less effective at estimating range rate, and are therefore not effective with respect to new object acquisition/recognition. Ultrasonic sensors are effective at estimating range but are less effective at estimating or computing range rate and azimuth position of a remote object. Further, it is appreciated that the performance of each sensor technology may be affected by changes in environmental conditions.
Known radar systems operate at different frequency bands ranging between A-band at HF (less than 100 MHz) and VHF (about 150 MHz) up to and beyond W-band (100 GHz), including ultra-wideband radar (UWB) systems. Regulations including those promulgated by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may limit on-vehicle applications of UWB radar systems. Known frequency bands for automotive radar include an ISM band of 250 MHz around 24 GHz and a dedicated automotive radar band between 77-78 GHz.